A hot-button
issue for many parents is how to teach their kids about spirituality. For a significant number of
Americans, "spirituality" and "religion" are synonymous;
if you believe in one, you're automatically committed to the other
and define yourself as a Catholic, Jew, Muslim, Protestant or member
of another denomination. But the fact is, almost one in six Americans
today is unaffiliated with any particular religion. Indeed, young adults
under age 30—today's and tomorrow's parents, essentially—are the
most likely to be living religion-free lives.
When
it comes to spirituality, we parents are just our kids' ambassadors. We
can show them around, but we don't need to know everything. And that
exploration is well worth the effort. Research indicates that personal
spirituality results in much more than just a nice warm, fuzzy feeling. Kids
who develop a sense of a loving higher power or a guiding force—whether
they call it God, creator, Allah or simply "loving universe"—are
80 percent less likely to suffer major depression and 50 percent less
likely to suffer from substance abuse as teens. Similarly, a study from
the University of British Columbia, in Canada, found that children who
are spiritual (and researchers clearly separated "spirituality"
from "attending church services" or "belonging to a
church") tend to be significantly happier individuals overall. Having
an understanding of something greater than themselves seems to enhance
children's sense of personal meaning and purpose, and to reinforce their
connections to their community and to other people. The big question,
then, is how to do it? What are some ways to give your children the gifts
of faith and hope?
Many spiritual
traditions provide an excellent framework of values or principles
to follow. Even kids as young as three or four understand something
like “Our family believes in kindness, helping other people, caring for
pets and reaching out to people who are alone.”
Kids benefit
greatly from hearing out loud from their parents how we handle life's ups
and downs, It could be as simple as saying to your child, 'I'm really
worried about Grandpa today and my stomach hurts. I'm going to take a
moment and pray that Grandpa feels better.” Research indicates that kids
who have at least one parent who is openly spiritually incline
tend to continue exploring spiritual issues on their own in adolescence
and adulthood.
This
weekend the parishioners at Holy Family Catholic Church in North Java are
bringing clothes and toys requested by Angel Ministry to help children who are
less fortunate. Teaching by example is the focus of inviting children this
weekend to brings toys to Saint Nicholas so that he can give them to other
children who would not receive any gifts this Christmas.
When a
grandparent or a pet dies, when a natural disaster hits, when your child
encounters something unfair—all of these are opportunities for your child
to turn to God for comfort. In some families, they talk about angels when
they are upset. Some parents teach their kids to ask their angels about
problems they have and to trust their own 'inner ears' when the angels
talk to them."
Many
parents are struggling with how to approach their kids' spiritual
education. The parents talk with their children about issues of faith when
they come up in stories and movies; they broached the topics of heaven and an
afterlife when the kids' grandparents died; and they attend Christmas Eve
church services every year as a family holiday tradition. Some parents
visit several different churches and taken the kids along. But as for
actually joining a church—that's way too hard for them. Many parents still
sort of fumbling around in the dark. And as with all aspects
of parenting, fumbling is perfectly okay and expected,. Teaching kids
about spirituality isn't about doing it perfectly or finding the
"right" church. It's more about asking deeper questions with
your children and letting them see people living out their lives with
meaning, All parents can do that.
Molly
Haungs, Holy Family’s childrens’ religious education teacher, has brought a
wonderful sensitivity and creativity to help parents who are fumbling around to
teach their children that there is a God who cares about them and loves them
very much.
If you
are a parent “on the fence” and struggling to help your children learn about
the meaning of prayer, gratitude and kindness, let this be an invitation to
bring your children this Sunday to North Java at the 10am Mass and join our
“Kids’ Church” to meet Saint Nicholas and help other children this Christmas.
On Sunday, December 21st, the children are bringing a “birthday
cake” and singing “Happy Birthday Jesus” and on Christmas Eve, December 24th
at 4:30 pm there will be a special Nativity Childrens’ Mass that will feature a
childrens’ choir singing familiar Christmas chorals. Holy Family Catholic
Church is located at 4316 Route 98 in North Java. The faith community’s mission
statement reads: “Whether you area lifetime Catholic, a member of a different
faith, a parent “on the fence” or new to exploring your spirituality, you will
find a home at Holy Family.”
